Look, this isn't MoN team. He inherited this pile of cak from the previous incumbent, when we were buggered and heading south for the summer. I have little doubt under Bruce we would have been heading into next weeks games with everything still to lose and not as we will as mid table plodders.
Martin was brought in to turn a sinking ship around and did so with much grace and dignity. He managed to squeeze every last drop of ability and desire out of this average squad of players and ensured that for the past 4 or 5 weeks, we've been in coasting mood. I'd imagine that certain players will be aware they are on their way out and there will be those who are not too certain. As for team changes for today, just who could have actually played? Elmo, Ji, Vaughan Wickham, Kyriakos? With the exception of David Meyler (who by his own admission this week is still tentatively easing his way back into fitness after 2 long career threatening injuries), none of those I've mentioned would have improved us IMO and that's the problem in a nutshell.
Our squad is very, very poor. Martin knows it now; we know it also; but most importantly, so does Ellis Short now and that is vital this summer. MoN has admitted we don't have ANY strikers capable of securing double figures at the club; we have a captain who seems incapable of learning and developing; we have many players simply not good enough for the top flight and above all, we don't have enough winners at the club.
I think to slag MoN off for not being able to bring winning success using players he has inherited, whilst also delivering our safety on the back of it , is plain dumb. We have the man we all wanted (or most did anyway) and he has already shown what he can achieve. We simply have to trust his judgement over the next 4 months, to start the long and determined fight back with player acquisition and improvement. If after 4 transfer windows we are still turning performances in like the past 4 or 5 weeks, then I may have sympathy with the sentiments echoed here by some
However, after only 5 months in charge of team affairs, inheriting a broken squad and team, to now start a mini witch hunt of criticism seems absolutely ridiculous, given he has had no chance to shape the team and squad in his own image.
One thing about this we pay a lot of money to travel for the performances recently, where those the sentiments at the Etihad a few short weeks ago as well? Away travel is a personal choice not a conscription and we have suffered, as mentioned earlier by an old stager like myself, many more worse performances and results than this one today.
So shut up and wait and see what MoN delivers next season, not after 5 months FFS.
